The current relationship between voice actors and the gaming industry is a bitter one. After a stream of physical pickets being thrown at developers like EA and Insomniac Games as a part of the current voice actor strike, the union which represents these actors is further launching a virtual picket line over on social media this time. SAG-AFTRA is requesting its members to raise their voice on social platforms like on Twitter, in part to show that “[the union’s] greatest strength is unity.”
Via Deadline, SAG-AFTRA stated that from 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET on Tuesday , all of its active members should retweet any and all of SAG-AFTRA’s Twitter posts and also go ahead and share its Facebook stories. In addition to that, the union is also asking its members to take a “solidarity selfie or group photo,” using their promoted hashtag #PerformanceMatters.
Here are some sample tweets that SAG-AFTRA is recommending that people use:
- “@EA and @Activision, negotiate a fair contract! #PerformanceMatters”
- “@EA and @Activision, we love the characters in your games! Make a fair deal because #PerformanceMatters”
- “@EA and @Activision, you are causing your performers vocal stress! #PerformanceMatters”
The main aggravators behind the strike, which rolled out on October 21, is the issue regarding residual payments. The gaming industry has always refused to provide the voice actors with residual payment bonuses and several other profit-sharing options. Specifically, SAG-AFTRA has requested that its performers be provided with an additional “full-scale payment” for every 500,000 units of the game that are sold, for a maximum of four secondary payments if a game sells 2 million copies. Read the full negotiation article here.
SAG-AFTRA most recently made the picketing effort against Insomniac Games; where more than 450 members and allies attended to support the movement.
We’re staying out as long as it takes until the game producers decide to come back to the bargaining table and be reasonable
said actor Phil LaMarr, who is also a member of the union’s negotiating committee.
LaMarr, the actor who appeared in Pulp Fiction, is also a veteran video game voice actor. Some of his credits include Mortal Kombat X, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, and Injustice 2.
